Embattled Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has ignited a firestorm with racist remarks in a secretly taped conversation he is reported to have had with his girlfriend. NBA luminaries such as Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan have been highly critical of Sterling, calling for his ouster from the league. Even President Barack Obama has weighed in, labeling Sterling "ignorant."

There have been some strong reactions worldwide, President Obama discussed Sterling while in Malaysia, but the New Orleans Pelicans are taking a wait-and-see approach. Team owner Tom Benson declined to discuss the matter Monday, and Pelicans spokesman Greg Bensel said, ''We will have no comment and will rely on the NBA office to handle this issue.''

Pelicans coach Monty Williams also declined comment.

But Pelicans reserve guard Anthony Morrow had plenty to say over the weekend, taking to his Twitter account to lash out at Sterling.

''He's
had multiple complaints against him over the last 20 years, but it took
this to happen for them to 'influence' him to sell the team,'' Morrow
tweeted Saturday.

''Those old roots of racism are a little
deeper than I thought, but I thank God my kids won't have to experience it like my parents did. Bro
said, 'Don't bring Magic (Johnson) to my games anymore.' ''

Morrow, who can opt out of his contract to become a free agent this
summer, is the only Pelicans player so far to go public with his displeasure about Sterling. Pelicans guard Austin Rivers is Clippers coach Doc Rivers' son. The elder Rivers, who's in his first year with the Clippers, has said he'd have to think about his future with the team under Sterling's leadership. Rivers also declined to meet with Sterling on Monday.

Jordan, the league's biggest star in the 1990s and current owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, said in a statement Sunday: ''As
an owner, I'm obviously disgusted that a fellow team owner could hold
such sickening and offensive views. As a former player, I'm completely
outraged. There is no room in the NBA -- or anywhere else -- for the
kind of racism and hatred that Mr. Sterling allegedly expressed.''

Johnson, a former Lakers great, said on Sunday's "NBA Countdown" on ABC-TV that he won't be attending Clippers games anymore if Sterling remains owner.

''I have no problem with that,'' Johnson said. ''I won’t be going. And then he said other African-Americans -- so they’re not welcome either -- this is not good. Not just for the league but for America, this is not good.

''I believe once Commissioner Silver does his due diligence and he gets all of the information, he’s got to come down hard. He (Sterling) shouldn’t own a team anymore. And, he should stand up and say, ‘I don’t want to own a team anymore,’ especially when you have African-Americans renting his apartments, coming to his games, playing for him and coaching for him. This is bad for everybody. This is bad for America. I’m really upset about it.''

Before Game 4 of their playoff series against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., the Clippers staged a silent protest in response to Sterling. They huddled at center court and tossed their warmups to the ground. They also wore their red Clippers' T-shirts inside out to hide the team's logo.

Clippers guard Chris Paul has asked Sacramento mayor and former NBA player Kevin Johnson to lead the National Basketball Players Association through the controversy. Paul is the president of the players' union.

Johnson said the players want the league to levy a maximum fine and possibly remove Sterling as owner if it's proven he made the insensitive comments.

CarMax and airline Virgin America dropped their sponsorship deals with the Clippers on Monday. Several others such as Kia and Red Bull announced they are suspending all team-related marketing for the time being.

It's not the first time Sterling, 80, has been involved in a high-profiled racial controversy.

In 2006, the United States Justice Department lawsuit filed that accused Sterling's rental company in Los Angeles of refusing to rent apartments to African-Americans, Latinos and families with children.

The case was settled with Sterling agreeing to pay a little less than $3 million.

''That's the way it is...He is honest about what he believes in,'' former New Orleans and Clippers guard Baron Davis tweeted over the weekend. ''Been going on for a long time, Hats off to the team for playing above it all.''